The present invention generally relates to power miter saws.
Most miter saws provide the user with a set of predetermined miter angles that define commonly used angles in carpentry. The angles are typically defined by a set of detents in the base of the miter saw. A moveable detent pin housed in the rotating table of the miter saw selectively engages the detents to angularly position the table at a desired angle.
In certain cases, it is desirable to disengage the miter detent system. This is most commonly desired when a cut needs to be made at an angle that is close to a specific detent defined angle. For example, if the user attempts to set the saw one degree away from the forty-five degree detent, the detent system often pulls the saw back to forty-five degrees. This happens because more than half of the detent pin is aligned with the forty-five degree detent. The spring force on the pin moves the saw back to the detent.
To overcome this problem, many miter saws provide the user with a mechanism to disengage the detent pin. Many known mechanisms are difficult to locate on the saw, so much so that many users are completely unaware of the feature. At the same time, many users say this feature is a highly desirable one when asked.